Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #801125 in Books
• Published on: 2004-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 432 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
In A Pretext for War James Bamford builds his case against America's intelligence agencies from the ground up, which makes for devastating reading not only for his subjects, but for anyone concerned with the nation's security or simply smart use of taxpayer dollars. Indeed, one can't help but cringe as the veteran journalist records the alarming post-Cold-War floundering of the CIA, NSA, Defense Department and succeeding administrations in the face of burgeoning terrorist threats that culminate with the attack on 9-11. Seemingly caught flatfooted by the demise of the Soviet Union, the US intelligence community stumbles through the 1990s as it becomes institutionally hidebound and sluggish. During relatively peaceful times, its shortcomings, while not unnoticed, remain largely unaddressed.

As Bamford sees it, with the arrival of George W Bush the situation goes from bad to worse. With the neocons in power, intelligence gathering is corrupted and politicised to create the grounds for going to war with Iraq. While much of what appears here has appeared earlier in works by Joseph Wilson, Richard Clarke and others, Bamford pulls the loose ends together and adds new reporting to create a wide-ranging yet taut and absorbing exposé of an American security apparatus that combines vast power with stunning ineptitude. --Steven Stolder, Amazon.com

Customer Reviews

The power of lies: we all were wrong
This book contains the analysis of two events: the 9/11 attacks and the war in Iraq. In both cases the evaluation of the intelligence community is devastating: the 9/11 attacks and the war in Iraq could eventually not be prevented; the first one because of incompetence, and the second one because of the cowardice of the CIA chief, who didn't fight or resign in protest, but chose simply to go along with all the lies.

The step by step description of the 9/11 events follows the official version. E.g., the collapse of Tower 7 of the WTC is due to blown debris which set the steel building on fire. Some official sources spoke of 'demolition'.
For a more critical evaluation of the events I recommend the works of N.M. Ahmed and D.R. Griffin.

Concerning the war in Iraq, the intelligence community knew that Saddam had no WMD and that there was absolutely no link between Saddam, Al-Qaeda and 9/11. But the Bush administration put the CIA under tremendous pressure to find 'something' that could justify a preemptive war. The administration didn't need serious intelligence reports. They wanted the CIA to serve their own agenda: rearrange the map in the Middle East by overthrowing Saddam and put a pro-Israel regime in his place.
When the bogus evidence became available, a massive disinformation campaign was launched in the gagged media in order to deceive the Americam people.

The author's description of the Iraq quagmire is a horror story.
Militarily, the poor, the young, those with the least education, those from small and rural towns paid with their lives, although they tended to vote for Bush.
In Iraq, the use of cluster bombs in residential neighbourhoods is leaving ten of thousands of live bombs in the backyards. 'The US military were killing and maiming the very people it had come to liberate.'
For the author,the regime change in Iraq is not the solution: (quoting T. Hamad) 'For all people in the Arab world, the Palestinian problem is the only problem they have with the US.'

The conclusion of the author is also a question mark: 'It is now clear that the original justification for the Iraq invasion was fraudulent. It was simply a pretext for war long advocated by a small group of hard-line neoconservatives'. 'The question mark to be answered is: How much of a factor support for Israel played in the ultimate decision?'
Quoting N. Guttman in Haaretz:'(there is) new life into the assertion that Israel and not American interests lead to the war in Iraq.'

James Bamford has written a courageous, but immensely sad book full of cynical behaviour.

A must read.

Comprehensive review of manipulation
Bamford undertakes a thorough investigation of America's intelligence agencies and their failings in the run up to 9/11. Merely presenting the facts it is difficult to argue against the picture that is revealed. He takes care to prevent a vitriolic and bias attack on the Bush administration or America's intelligence agencies and thereby rarely offers opinion, except in summary at the end of the book. A damning web of misinformation and mistakes are evident.

The book does plod along slightly at the start as Bamford attempts to frame his discussion and paint a vivid image. However, the second half of the book is exceptional and left an impression. Recommended reading for anyone interested in the 'real' reasons for the war in Iraq.